I have been a Menomena fan for years. They have been a consistently great band, and one that I believe has been underappreciated. So, when I had heard that Brent Knopf had left the band, I assumed that Menomena was gone for good. However, then came the announcement that the two remaining members were releasing a new album. I was pleasantly surprised upon hearing this news, but quite frankly I was skeptical. The reality is that none of us could really know what would be lost when one third of the band left. The good news is that it appears that nothing was lost, there is just some change. This album is fantastic - it is the tighest and most cohesive album Menomena has put out. Now, I will admit that some of what made a Menomena album great was that there were always surprises from song to song. The difference now is that the songs are thematically tied together, and they just flow from beginning to end. Also, there are still complex song structures that allow you to find new twists upon multiple listens. Bottom line is that Menomena is still alive and well, just a little different, and in some ways maybe a little better.

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